Tool-actuating device.



T. OFFICER.

TOOL AGTUATING DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED 213.29, 1908.

2 SHEETS-4511331 1.

Patented Feb h. nun-M05 PETERS CO4. PHOTD-LITHOIH WASHING ION. D. c

T- OFFICER.

TOOL AOTUATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED rEB.2o, 19os.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Y HE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO L ITHOH WAHING rON, D. c.

Patented Feb.23,1915.

THOMAS OFFICER, 0F CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY,

PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

TOOL-ACTUATING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS OFFICER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Claremont, in the county of Sullivan, State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement in Tool-Actuating Devices, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to apparatus for reciprocatively actuating an impact member, such as a percussive tool or the like where it is desired that the blow struck by such tool or other impact member should be delivered with the interposition of some yielding medium between the source of driving power and the tool. 7

While this invention broadly relates to devices of the general type above set forth, 1

I have herein, for illustrative purposes, specifically shown the same as applied to an electrically driven coal cutter or puncher. This serves to illustrate the principles of the invention, but it is to be understood that the same is not limited to devices of this specific type, but has useful application to other apparatus and devices.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 shows an elevation and partially in section of a coal cutter to which is shown applied one specific embodiment or form of my invention; Fig. 2 shows in sectional plan a modified form of power transmitting device adapted for V application to the coal cutter shown in Fig.

1; Fig. 3 shows a further modification; Fig. 4. still another modification; and Fig. 5 shows a fourth modification.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 1, the coal cutter there illustrated, as is usual in this class of devices, is shown as mounted upon wheels or trucks 1,-the latter supporting suitable operating mechanism which is adapted to reciprocate the tool rod 2, the latter connected at its Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 20, 1908.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 416,867.

outer end to a suitable and usual form of cutting tool, not herein shown. The machine is provided with a usual handle or grasping portion 3 by which the operator can control the same and guide the machine along the running board or upon the bottom of the mine.

Preferably upon the frame of the machine is mounted a driving motor 4 of any suitable form, but which herein is shown as an upright electric driving motor, to which current may be supplied from any suitable source by conductors (not shown). This motor is provided with the upright armature shaft 5, to the lower end of which is secured the motor pinion 6 meshing with the larger driven gear 7, the latter secured to the upright shaft 8 mounted to turn in bearings in the machine frame. To the face of the gear 7 is attached the crank pin 9 eccentrically located with relation to the gear center, the crank pin being adapted, through the intermediate sliding block 10, to cause reciprocation of the orosshead 11 in suitable guides 12 fixedly secured to the machine frame. The crosshead, sliding block and crank pin are shown in sectional plan in ably connected to reciprocate the tool rod 2 and attached tool through a yielding medium, so that the blow delivered will be more or less elastic, such connections in the illustrated form of the invention being as follows z-Suitable connection such as the rods 13. (see Figs. 2 and 3) is provided between the crosshead 11 and a reciprocating part or member within the main outer cylinder 14- of the machine, the latter providing a closed fluid chamber rigidly attached to the machine frame.

In the present instance the reciprocating part within the cylinder, to which the con necting rods 13 are attached, is a member 15 slidably mounted within the cylinder 14 and serving the function of a piston relatively to the cylinder 14, and also of a cylinder relatively toan inner piston 16, mov- OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- effective pressure area of considerable extent to the fluid within the outer cylinder, so that as the piston-cylinder is moved toward one end of the outer cylinder the fluid. at that end thereof is displaced and .forced into the adjacent open end of the piston-cylinder thus passing from without the piston-cylinder to a position or relation within the same. The simultaneous move ment of the piston-cylinder away from the z opposite end of the outer cylinder lowers the pressure thereat, this tending to draw the fluid from within the piston-cylinder to a position without the same. The result is that the inner tool-connected piston 16 within the piston-cylinder is affected by an increase of pressure on one side and a decrease on the other, causing the same to move in a direction opposite to the movement of the piston-cylinder. For example, as the piston-cylinder is moved forward, the air at the front of the outer is displaced and forced to a position within the piston-cylinder against the front of the inner piston, driving the latter backward. At the same time this backward movement-is assisted by the drop in pressure which is created at the rear of the tool-connected piston by the passage of fluid thereat into the space at the back ofthe outer cylinder as the piston-cylinder .;moves forward. Obviously the reverse of this occurs when the crosshead draws the piston-cylinder backward, so that, as the driving element, herein the piston-cylinder, moves in one direction, the piston 16 and connected tool are caused to move in the opposite direction.

;Although I prefer the construction shown where the piston-cylinder is utilized as the drivingelement, so far as the broad aspect of my invention is concerned, it isimmaterial whether the piston-cylinder or the innerpiston is .employed as the driving element. Obviouslythe piston-cylinder might be connected to the tool and the inner pis- -..ton tothe cross-head whereupon the reciprocatory movement would be transmitted from one part to the other in the same general manner as described.

. The apparatus describedmay be employed .with pressure fluid of any desired character If it is deand at any desired pressure.

sired to increase the pressure of the working fluid so that a more elastic blow may be struck, such increase pressure may be obtained from any desired source. An external source,either a reservoir or pressure creating device may be employed or a pressure creating device may be utilized in conjunction with the apparatus itself.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 I have shown an auxiliary air pump for supplying leakage to the apparatus and maintaining the pressure thereof at the desired point. This may be of any suitable construction, but herein I have shown the same to consist of a barrel portion 17 formed in the rear head of the outer cylinder 1 1, the piston 16 being suitably recessed to receive such bar rel portion on its backward stroke. The barrel portion 17 constitutes a pump cylinder in which is located the pump piston 18 connected to be reciprocated by the rod 19 from the crosshead 11. Inwardly opening check valves (not shown in Fig. 1) are provided to permit the pump piston 18 to draw in external air and suitable, outwardly opening, discharge valves are also provided to deliver such air under pressure to the opposite end of the outer cylinder. One such valve is shown in the form of a ball checkvalve 20, past which the air is discharged into the space at the rear of the outer cylinder, while the other valve (not shown) communicates with the pipe or passage 21 lea ding to the space at the forward end of the cylinder.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the construction is substantially the same save that the outer cylinder has a reduced portion or abutment 22 between the ends of the pistoncylinder, so that the inner pressure areas of the heads of the piston-cylinder are effective in cooperation with the opposed piston areas presented to such reduced portion in building up or raising the pressure of the operating fluid. Communicating with the spaces between such reduced cylinder portions and the piston heads are inlet valves 28 through which the external air may be drawn in. Discharge valves 21- are also provided which control passages leading from such spaces to the opposite ends of the outer cylinder, through which the air thus drawn in and compressed in either compression space may be transferred and discharged to the corresponding end of the main cylinder.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the construction is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1 save that the outer cvlinder 1 1 has a reduced portion or abutment 25 utilized to render both sides of each head of the piston-cylinder eflective, or, in other words, to render the piston-cylinder double acting at each end. This materially increases the effective power of the apparatus for a given diameter of the outer cylinder.

To efiect this the space at the forward end of the cylinder has free and open communication through the connecting passage 26 with the working space 27, the latter lying between the abutment 25 and the rear head of the piston-cylinder 15. It also has the connecting passage 28 connecting the rear portion of the piston-cylinder 15 with the space 29, the latter lying between the abutment 25 and the forward head of the piston-cylinder.

While I prefer the relative movement of the driving and driven part which follows from the constructions shown in Figs. 13, where the tool and its connected part are moved forward as the pulsating member is drawn back, and vice versa such relation of movement is not essential in carrying out this invention. In Fig. 4 I have shown another modificationwhere the piston-cylinder member, herein designated as 30, instead of having free and open communication at each end with the adjacent end of the outer cylinder, is closed at each end and has communication at each end only through the radial or lateral passages 31. These latter lead to the pair of annular chambers 32, which two chambers are separated by the packed piston shoulder 33. The annular space at the forward end of the piston-chamber has communication through the passage 35 with the opposite or rear end of the outer cylinder, while the annular pressure chamher at the opposite end of the piston-cylinder has communication with the forward end of the outer cylinder through the passage 34. These passages may be controlled by means of hand-operated valves 37 and 36 respectively, so that their effective cross-sectional area may be varied at will. From this construction it will be clear that, as the pistoncylinder is driven forward, the air at the forward end of the cylinder will be forced through the passage 34 and-into the rear of the piston-cylinder, driving the inner piston with its attached tool forward and with the same direction of movement as the pistoncylinder. Likewise at the same time the pressure at the rear of the piston-cylinder is lowered by the advance of the piston-cylinder and this permits the transference of fluid from the forward end of the inner piston through the forward annular chamber 32 and passage 35 to the rear of the main cylinder. On reverse movement of the piston-cylinder a reverse transference of fluid takes place the result being that the tool and inner piston move in the same direction as the pulsating member itself.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 a single connecting rod 38 is shown fixedly attached to the piston-cylinder, such connecting rod having a pump piston-member 39 working in a suitably formed cylinder on vthe head 40 of the main cylinder. Inlet valves 41 are provided and the compressed air is discharged through passages 42 and 43 respectively to opposite ends of the main cylinder.

It is not essential that the inner piston or displacement member as it moves within the outer displacement or piston-cylinder should move in physical contact therewith, but it may be, and sometimes, for constructional reasons, preferably is, movable in physical contact with some element other than the piston-cylinder, such, for example, as a fixed or stationary sleeve or lining. In Fig. 5 I have shown a construction which, it will be understood, is merely a further modification of the same generic principle.

Referring to Fig. 5, the outer displacement or piston-cylinder 44 is movable within the main cylinder 45 as before under the reciprocative effort of the connecting rods 46. The inner displacement member or piston 47 is movable within the outer displacement member as before, but interposed between the two is a fixed lining or sleeve 48, the inner displacement member being movable within the lining and the outer displacement member movable outside of and concentric with the same. The air displaced by the forward movement of the outer displacement member is driven to the front of the inner displacement member and within the lining through the passages 49, this acting to drive the inner piston backward. Similar passages are provided in the rear portion of the walls of the lining to permit the transference of pressure fluid from the back of the outer displacement member to the back of the inner displacement member, or vice versa.

In order that the driven member may be cushioned at the extremity of one or both of its strokes these openings in the inner lining are preferably so located that the driven piston tends to over-travel them and cover them, thereby trapping an amount of air in front of the piston, or at the back of it as the case may be, and securing a cushion to prevent a sudden shock or jar if the tool fails to strike the work, or is returned too vio .lently. In order, however, to permit the outer displacement or driving member to be effective in returning the inner piston member after it has traveled past the passage 49 or 50 and into the cushion, in the event that the piston tends to remain there, as might happen, for example, if the tool sticks in the cut, I have provided an auxiliary passage 51 at the forward end of the cylinder 45 which connects the space in front of the outer displacement member with the space at the extreme end. of the lining 48 through an intermediate check valve 52 opening in a direction to permit the transference of air through the passage from the outer cylinder to the space within the lining, but to prevent the passage of -air in the opposite direction. This maintains the cushion but keeps the inner piston at all timesunder the eiiective control of the outer displacement member. A similar passage 53 is provided at the rear end of the cylinder, as shown in dotted lines, its relation to the inner lining and outer cylinder being substantially the same as that of the passage 51.

Obviously any suitable means for cooling the working parts, such as the outer cylinder l i, may,be employed in connection with any of thedevices shown. Such a cooling means may be provided for by suitable water jackets or by suitably arranged. radiating surfaces.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the embodiments herein shown, which are submitted for illustrative purposes only, or to the form or relative arrangement of parts, but that extensive deviations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for reciprocating an impact member such as a percussive tool or the like, the combination with a reciprocating driving element of an outer cylinder and an inner piston-cylinder movable within the same, a piston movable within said piston' cylinder, said piston and piston-cylinder constituting cooperating driving and driven parts connected one to the reciprocating driving element, and the other to the tool or other impact member, and means whereby the movement of the one causes a transference of fluidfrom outside of the pistoncylinder to within the same, and vice versa, such transference causing the consequent movement of the other member.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a member providing a fluid chamber, an outer fluid displacement member movable within the fluid chamber, an inner fluid displacement member movable within said outer member, the two constituting cooperating driven and driving members, and means permitting the movement of one of said members to displace the fluid from without the outer displacement member to within the same and vice versa, whereby the driven member is displaced through the displacement of said fluid, and the tool or other impact member thereby moved.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with an outer cylinder, a piston-cylinder movable within the same, a piston movable within the piston-cylinder, the space at one end of the outer cylinder being in communication with the space at one side of the inner piston, and the space at the opposite end of the outer cylinder being in communication with the space at the opposite side of the inner piston but shut off from the space at the other end of the outer cylinder and a driving and a driven member connected one to the inner piston and the other to the piston cylinder.

7 i. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a member providing a fluid chamber, an outer fluid displacement member within the same, an inner fluid displacement member within said outer member, the two constituting cooperating driven and driving members, driving means connected to the driving member, means permitting, through the movement of one of said members, the displacement of fluid from without the outer displacement member to within the same and vice versa, whereby the driven member is displaced through the displacement of said fluid, and means for raising the pressure of fluid within said chamber.

An apparatus of the class described having a cutting tool, an electric driving mot-or, connections between the same comprising a fluid containing casing, an outer fluid displacement member movable within said casing, an inner fluid displacement member movable within said outer member, the two constituting cooperating driven and driving members connected the one to the tool and the other to the driving motor, means permitting, through the movement of one, the displacement of fluid from without the outer displacement member to within the same and vice versa, whereby the tool is reciprocated through the repeated displacement of said fluid, and trucks upon which the said tool, motor and connections are mounted.

6. An apparatus of the class described having a reciprocating driving member, a driven member, a working cylinder, a piston movable within the same, the opposite ends of said working cylinder being normally closed each to the other and a piston movable within the first named piston, said driven member being connected to one of said pistons and said driving member to the other.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a member providing a fluid chamber, an outer fluid displacement member movable within the fluid chamber, an inner fluid displacement member movable within said outer member, the two constituting coiiperating driven and driving members, driving means connected to the thriving member, and means permitting the movement of one of the members to displace the fluid from without the outer member to within the same and vice versa, whereby the driving member is displaced through the displacement of said fluid.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a reciprocating driving member, a driven member, a working cylinder, a piston movable within the same, and a piston movable within the first named piston, said driving member being connected to one of said pistons and said driven member to the other, said pistons having each of its sides in fluid communication with the respective sides of the other to permit the reciprocating movement of one and the resultant transference of fluid to cause the reciprocating movement of the other.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a reciprocating driving member, a driven member, a working cylinder, a piston movable within the same and a piston movable Within the first named piston, said driving member being connected to one of said pistons and said driven Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

member to the other, said pistons having each of its sides in fluid communication with the respective sides of the other to constitute a closed fluid transmission system to permit the reciprocating movement of one and the 20 THOMAS OFFICER.

Witnesses E, J. Bononann, S. T. CHANDLER.

Washington, I). G. 

